Lauren Breen PhD FT is a psychologist, researcher, TEDx speaker, and a professor of psychology at Curtin University, Australia. She works to understand the psychology of grief and loss over the lifespan and the intersections with mental health and wellbeing. She has published ~200 journal articles, 22 book chapters, and co-edited 1 book, The Routledge International Handbook of Child and Adolescent Grief in Contemporary Contexts. She was successful in the inaugural round of the prestigious Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Research Awards and has received ~$4 million in external research funding from competitive sources such as the Australian Research Council, Medical Research Future Fund, MND Research Institute, Wellcome Trust, WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network, Cancer Australia, Department of Health (WA), Department of Local Government and Communities, Silver Chain, Healthway, Telethon, iCare Dust Diseases Board, and the Cancer Council WA. She was managing editor of Death Studies for 4 years, a board member for Grief Australia for 9 years, and currently is a board member for Lionheart Camp for Kids, an organisation supporting grieving children and families. In harnessing strong partnerships, Lauren’s research has informed policy and practice locally and around the world. In 2022, she received the Research Award from the Association for Death Education and Counseling (USA). In 2023, 2024, and 2025, she was recognised as Australia’s top researcher in the category Hospice and Palliative Care. She is member of the International Work Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement. She is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society, a Fellow of Thanatology, and a Fellow of Advance HE.

Memberships

2002 – 2019, Member, Australian Psychological Society

2019 – Present, Fellow, Australian Psychological Society

2008 – 2016, Executive Member, Australian Psychological Society’s College of Community Psychologists

2002 – Present, Member, Society for Community Research and Action (Division 27 of the American Psychological Association)

2002 – Present, Member, International Society of Critical Health Psychology

2008 – Present, Member, Grief Australia

2012 – Present, Registered Psychologist, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Registration Number – PSY0001774824)

2012 – Present, Endorsed Community Psychologist, Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency

2015 – Present, Member, Association for Death Education and Counseling (USA)

2018 – Present, Member, International Work Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement

2019 – Present, Member, Cooperative Trials Group for Neuro-Oncology (COGNO), NHMRC Clinical Trials Collective

2019 – Present, Member, Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group End of Life Care Interest Group

Awards

2025, Faculty of Health Sciences Inclusive and Consumer-oriented Research Award

2025, Finalist, Excellence in Injury Recovery Award, Injury Matters, for GriefAware

2023, Finalist, Curtin Awards for Research Excellence – Partnerships

2022, Association for Death Education and Counseling (USA) Research Recognition Award

2013, Australian Psychological Society Robin Winkler Award for Applied Community Psychology Research

2013, New Independent Researcher Infrastructure Support Award, Department of Health (Western Australia)

2012, Injury Control Council of Western Australia Research Award

2012, Faculty of Health Sciences Early Career Research Award, Curtin University

2007, Australian Psychological Society Psychology of Relationships Interest Group Thesis Award